​With the World Cup having dominated summer sports headlines, Xavier has been busy rounding out its roster and laying the groundwork for a schedule as they prepare for year two under the Richard Pitino era. The Musketeers added two final pieces to their roster in the late spring: Drake guard Braden Appelhans and Robert Morris big man Nikos Chitikoudis. Appelhans is a veteran of Pitino’s system, having spent three years with him at New Mexico, one of which was a medical redshirt. He is a career 37 percent shooter from three and averaged 4.5 points per game last season, with a season-high 30 points on a 10-for-14 night from beyond the arc against Western Illinois. Chitikoudis began his college career with two years at North Carolina A&T before transferring to Robert Morris for a year, and over three seasons he has established himself as a standout offensive rebounder and a solid defender. This past season he earned a spot on the Horizon League All-Defensive Team. Both players bring substantial experience to an otherwise seasoned Xavier squad and are poised to help solidify a rotation that now features both depth and quality.
Xavier will join Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Dayton in the CareSource Invitational on October 7 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. The event will pit Xavier against Dayton and is designed to raise funds and awareness for mental health and suicide prevention, causes in which Dayton coach Anthony Grant has been a longtime community leader. The doubleheader provides an early preseason glimpse at four of the area’s most promising college basketball rosters while supporting a worthy cause.
In addition to the early-event exposure, Xavier has secured several high-major non-conference dates for the upcoming fall. On November 13, the Musketeers will travel to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, to face Mississippi State at the Greenbrier Invitational. The Bulldogs come off a disappointing season, dropping from a preseason KenPom ranking of 26th to finish outside the top 100, yet they still boast standout guard Josh Hubbard and have added Seton Hall transfer TJ Simpkins, who brings familiarity and matchup challenges for Xavier.
Xavier will also venture to the Bahamas the week of Thanksgiving for the 15th Battle 4 Atlantis. The event features four-team groups with each team playing twice to determine final standings, and Xavier’s group includes Marquette, Texas A&M, and Virginia. Because Texas A&M and Virginia cannot play each other within the bracketed format, the Musketeers will face the Aggies and the Cavaliers as they pursue the tournament crown. Both A&M and Virginia reached the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 last season—Texas A&M knocked off Saint Mary’s before falling to Houston, and Virginia defeated Wright State before losing to Ohio State—adding intriguing non-conference tests to Xavier’s resume as they build toward year two under Pitino.